Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Tavern on the Green: Going, Going, Gone?













Tavern on the Green in its present incarnation will cease operations after New Year's Eve. The fanciful Central Park restaurant, utilized for scenes in many movies -- including Oliver Stone's Wall Street (1987) and Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) -- opened in 1936 during the Great Depression and revived in 1976 but went bankrupt during the Great Recession. I had the chance to go once, and did, just a few years ago, when everything still sparkled. A couple of matchboxes serve as artifacts from that chilly night not too long ago.  Tavern on the Green will reopen under new management, perhaps as early as 2010 and possibly with a new name.

For now, here's a link to the official website: http://tavernonthegreen.com/

Let's not forget the book: Kay and Jennifer Oz LeRoy, Tavern on the Green: 125 Recipes for Good Times (2009), illustrated.  I think we might already have ideas about recipes for bad times . . .

Today's Rune: Defense.

7 comments:

JR's Thumbprints said...

Times are a changin'. Perhaps we'll see more movie scenes featuring Michigan restaurants.

the walking man said...

Yes sir JR the National Coney Island is sure to make that cut!

jodi said...

Erik, another institution bites the dust. Always thought I'd visit there one day....

Charles Gramlich said...

that's too bad. I didn't get to see it when I was in New York but it definitely seems the passing of an icon.

Steve Malley said...

Ouch. All the times I went to New York, I never even stopped there for a drink...

All the same, Merry Christmas Erik!! Hope you have a fine holiday!

Erik Donald France said...

Thanks all! HBO's Hung has a lot of cool Detroit area spots, for sure. And more to come, no doubt.

Happy Holidays, y'all!

Johnny Yen said...

Finally got around to reading Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" recently, and he mentioned Tavern On The Green in passing. I've been following the travails in the New York Times. Looks like the end of yet another icon.